The present invention relates to a freezing mould bag, especially for freezing ice lumps or ice cubes, and more precisely a freezing mould bag providing a self-closing effect.
Numerous freezing mould bags are known within the art, e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,420, Re-issued U.S. Pat. No. 31,890, U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,180, corresponding to European Patent No. 0 264 407, European Patent Application No. 0 129 072, International Patent Application, Publication No. WO82/00279, International Patent Application, Publication No. WO87/01183, and International Patent Application, Publication No. WO86/04561, to which Patents and Patent Applications reference is made, and which U.S. Patents are herewith incorporated in the present specification by reference.
In the above-mentioned re-issued U.S. Pat. No. Re 31,890, a freezing mould bag is described and disclosed, vide FIG. 7 and the corresponding part of the specification, comprising two closing flaps providing a check valve of a self-closing freezing mould bag.
European Patent No. 0 264 407 also discloses a freezing mould bag which according to the specification of the European Patent is adapted to provide a self-closing function. The freezing mould bag according to the European Patent comprises two closure flaps defining closure pockets of the freezing mould bag and is stated to seal the interior of the freezing mould bag and to prevent that liquid or water leaks from the interior of the freezing mould bag, provided the interior of the freezing mould bag is filled with liquid, preferably water, intended to be frozen to ice lumps or ice cubes.
In the specification of the above-mentioned European Patent No. 0 264 407 it is specifically explained how the self-closing function is established as the freezing mould bag is initially completely evacuated prior to the stage of filling the freezing mould bag with liquid or water to be frozen within the freezing mould bag, and as the filling of the freezing mould bag results in a complete filling of the closure pockets of the freezing mould bag. The complete filling of the closure pockets of the freezing mould bag further results in that the closure flaps of the freezing mould bag are pressed against one another in consequence of tensioning of the foils of the freezing mould bag, which tensioning is established in specific weld seams providing a constriction of an inlet channel of the freezing mould bag, which inlet channel is of a configuration basically tapering from an inlet opening of the freezing mould bag towards the interior of the freezing mould bag. Thus, the complete filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag is consequently based on a completely evacuated state of the interior of the freezing mould bag prior to the filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag and a complete filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag, and specifically a complete filling of the closure pockets of the freezing mould bag.
Alternatively, the complete filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent No. 0 264 407 is believed to be based on the following relations, although the European Patent is completely mute regarding these relations. It is believed that the closure pockets may be vented through venting channels provided between the upper turned-in edge of the freezing mould bag and the circumferential weld seam which according to the drawing of the European Patent is provided at a small distance below the upper turned-in edge of the freezing mould bag.
The self-closing function of the freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent No. 0 264 407 is, as explained in the European Patent, dependent on a complete filling of the closure pockets, which complete filling is further dependent on, in the first place, a completely evacuated state of the interior of the freezing mould bag prior to initiating the filling of the freezing mould bag, or, in the second place, dependent on a venting of the closure pockets through the above described venting channels, as the self-closing function is established by filling the closure pockets with liquid or water and by generating a compression of the closure flaps of the freezing mould bag for closing the freezing mould bag. The freezing mould bag according to the European Patent is not adapted to and not intended to generate a self-closing function unless the interior of the freezing mould bag, and specifically the closure pockets of the freezing mould bag, are completely filled with liquid, especially water to be frozen to ice lumps or ice cubes.
The freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent No. 0 264 407 consequently suffers from a serious drawback in that the freezing mould bag, provided the freezing mould bag is not completely filled with liquid or water resulting in that the closure pockets are not completely filled with liquid or water, is not able to provide a reliable self-closing function, i.e. generate a complete closing of the inlet channel, and consequently prevent that liquid or water leaks from the interior of the freezing mould bag through the inlet channel as air may to some extent inflate the interior of the freezing mould bag prior to the filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag with liquid or water or during the filling of the interior of the frezing mould bag with liquid or water, and as the air is not vented to the environment through the above-mentioned channels. The incomplete and unreliable self-closing function may result in a partial emptying of liquid or water from the interior of the freezing mould bag and further result in annoyance of the consumer, as the consumer may have to wipe off spilt liquid or water. The incomplete and unreliable self-closing function of the freezing mould bag also results in that ice lumps or ice cubes smaller than the optimum or maximum size are generated, resulting in a less efficient utilization of the freezing mould bag for its intentional purpose, i.e. the freezing of ice lumps or ice cubes.
European Patent Application No. 0 129 072 further describes a freezing mould bag which according to the specification of the European Patent Application is adapted to generate a far more elaborated self-closing function as compared to the function of the freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent No. 0 264 407. Thus, it is stated that a self-closing function is established even though the closure pockets are not completely filled with liquid or water, as the freezing mould bag according to She above-mentioned European Patent Application No. 0 129 072 is stated to be adapted to provide a self-closing function independent of a complete or partial filling out of the interior of the freezing mould bag with liquid or water. The self-closing function of the freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent Application No. 0 129 072 is stated to be provided by means of a narrow, tubular inlet arranged within an inlet channel of the freezing mould bag and extending from the interior of the freezing mould bag through the inlet channel to a position approximately half-way along the inlet channel along the longitudinal direction of the inlet channel, in which position the tubular inlet is connected to two sheets of the freezing mould bag defining two closure pockets.
The freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent Application No. 0 129 072, however, has proven not to function absolutely satisfactorily as the freezing mould bag does not provide a safe and reliable self-closing function, i.e. the freezing mould bag does not guarantee that there is every probability that the freezing mould bag is closing as the freezing mould bag is turned upside down for generating a self-closing function after a complete or partial filling of the interior of the freezing mould bag with liquid or water. This lack of reliability is believed to be based on the following relations. The closure pockets are, on the one hand, in consequence of the small size of the closure pockets unable to generate a pressure capable of closing the inlet channel of the freezing mould bag. The structure of the freezing mould bag according to the above-mentioned European Patent Application No. 0 129 072 is, on the other hand, not deduced, taking into due consideration the hydrodynamic and hydraulic relations which, as will be explained below with reference to the detailed discussion of the realization on which the present invention is based, may be utilized for creating a safe and reliable self-closing function, i.e. a self-closing function which, as the self-closing mould bag is completely or partially filled with liquid or water, and as the freezing mould bag is turned upside down, provides a substantially fail-safe closing of the interior of the freezing mould bag independent of whether or not the closure pockets are filled with liquid or air at the time the self-closing freezing mould bag is turned upside down.